Crowd Boos Governor During Debate

The political debate organised by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) for governorship candidates in Abia on Thursday was temporarily halted following a protest by Governor Theodore Orji, who was booed by the capacity crowd.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a cross section of the crowd consistently booed the governor when his name was mentioned during the introduction of participants at the event, which made the governor uncomfortable.

Following this event, the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Emmanuel Meje stood up and reprimanded the crowd, insisting that all participants must be respected irrespective of party affiliations.

At this point, Orji stood up and said he wanted to make an observation and said: “When I got the invitation, I was told that I will be coming to talk to voters in the state.

“I have now noticed that this hall is filled with members of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and I should not be seen talking to them,” he said.

Having said this, the governor walked out of the hall amidst jeering and shouts of ‘‘go, we don’t want you from the crowd.”

Dissatisfied with the action of the governor even when he was persuaded to stay, Meje and chairman of the occasion told the people that had gathered that the debate must continue.

NAN reports that the event which was organised in collaboration with the Kolping Society of Nigeria was attended by Chief Chris Akoma, PPA, Chief Stanley Ohajuruka, Labour Party (LP), Chief Paul Ikonne, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and Mr. Obioma Onyeaghala, Community Party of Nigeria (CPN).

Others were Chief Ako Atuloma, Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) and Mr. Emenike Owanta Democratic Front for People’s Federation (DFPF).

Speaking to NAN after the debate, Ohajuruka said that the booing of the governor was an embarrassing moment. “I was disappointed with what happened because we needed to accord him some decorum as governor.

“I tried to persuade him to stay, but his mind was already made up to leave the scene because nobody could have known the next thing that would happen,” Ohajuruka said.

When contacted, Chief Anthony Agbazuere, Abia Commissioner for Information, told NAN that he was not aware that the governor was booed.

“If anything happened at the venue I am not aware,” Agbazuere said. Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue and Special Adviser to the governor on the Electronic Media, said that his principal only protested against the conduct of the people.

“This was supposed to be a forum where participants will speak to stakeholders and that was why the governor took permission from the Catholic Archbishop and left.

“If they wanted to be fair, the organisers would have told each political party to come with a number of supporters but the whole place was filled with PPA members,” he said.

Emezue said that the governor would be interested in talking with stakeholders at a more conducive atmosphere.

NAN further reports that that was the second time in eight days the governor was being booed as similar event happened on Feb. 24 at Enyimba Stadium during the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan campaign train.